Kara Goucher Issues Statement – “I firmly stand by all my statements. It was because of the illegal actions that occurred at the Oregon Project under Alberto Salazar that I chose to leave the group… Any new knowledge will be shared to USADA alone.”
by LetsRun.com
July 15, 2015
Today Kara Goucher issued a brief statement in regards to the Nike Oregon Project doping investigation where she once affirmed that she left the group due to the ‘illegal actions’ of coach Salazar.
As part of Alberto Salazar’s rebuttal to the BBC/ProPublica investigation, Salazar had said that “Adam and Kara Goucher did not leave the Oregon Project due to unfounded allegations as the BBC story implies” and that they were no longer part of the group simply because Salazar could no longer tolerate the behavior of Kara’s husband, Adam Goucher.
At USAs, Kara Goucher said she didn’t like being labelled a liar and would come with information showing she wasn’t one. Today, Goucher stood firmly behind her initial statements to ProPublica and the assertion that she left because of the illegal actions of coach Salazar as she wrote, “I firmly stand by all my statements, and it was because of the illegal actions that occurred at the Oregon Project under Alberto Salazar that I chose to leave the group. The decision was mine, and I never looked back.”
Goucher, however, said she has decided to not share the additional information publicly as she wrote, “After going back and forth on deciding what to share, I have ultimately decided that it won’t help the USADA investigation if I share any further evidence publicly, so any new knowledge will be shared to USADA alone.”
Goucher in New York after the 2011 NYC Half
Goucher’s full-statement appears below.
Out of respect to my fellow runners celebrating their USA meet and teammates racing overseas, I delayed talking about this subject a couple weeks so that more positivity could be focused on the amazing track performances in the US and abroad that deserve full attention.
I went public with the truth about what I experienced at the Oregon Project and under the coaching of Alberto Salazar last month because I believe in upholding the integrity of our sport, and I wanted to confirm what I had already toldUSADA in 2013. What prevented me from coming forward in 2011 was fear of further retribution after already being suspended by Nike for giving birth to our son. Regardless of Alberto’s expected attack on me and my family, I will continue totell the truth and cooperate with USADA. Doing the right thing regardless of the fear of retaliation is the only way that things are ever going to change in the fight for clean sport. My biggest hope in coming forward is that I encourageothers to come forward and tell the truth as well.
Over the past several weeks, seventeen Oregon Project athletes and staff members have come forward to report what they saw during their time at the Oregon Project to the media, and since the USA Championships last month, I knowthat the number of people who have come forward to USADA has grown. After going back and forth on deciding what to share, I have ultimately decided that it won’t help the USADA investigation if I share any further evidence publicly, so any new knowledge will be shared to USADA alone.
I firmly stand by all my statements, and it was because of the illegal actions that occurred at the Oregon Project under Alberto Salazar that I chose to leave the group. The decision was mine, and I never looked back.
This has certainly been a challenging time for my family and me, and it has taken some time to get the courage to stand up to some the most powerful people in USA running. As my fellow competitors know, these issues run much deeper than just Alberto Salazar and include people that can make or break your career. But if multitudes can come forward as they have here, that shows that runners hold themselves and the sport to a higher standard and I want to do everything I can to make sure it stays there. I am confident that this fight is exactly what our sport needs and is long overdue. I will never regret speaking the truth and furthering the fight for clean sport.
Discuss: Goucher releases statement: Further evidence will only be shared with USADA.
Previous: LRC Kara Goucher Speaks Out After USATF 5,000m On Nike Oregon Project Doping Investigation: “I would welcome that opportunity for myself, for every former Oregon Project member, for every doctor that has been involved, to go under oath.” Kara Goucher said she doesn’t like being labeled a liar and said she will come out with a lot more information to show she is not one.
*MB: “People have been threatened at this meet” – Kara Goucher
*MB: When asked if he’d testify under oath, Salazar says he’d have to ask his lawyer
*MB: Is Rupp prepared to testify under oath? “We’ll see.”
*Oregonian: Kara Goucher has harsh words for Salazar after women’s 5,000 and hopes everyone gets to testify under oath
*LRC Kara Goucher Issues Brief Response To Alberto’s Open Letter: “Alberto’s false statements and one-sided partial stories don’t tell the truth … I have more to say about this topic, and I will be happy to share after USAs.”